Dinosaur Directed Drawing Art Lesson Back to School Art Activity For Kids

This Dinosaur Art Lesson is a directed drawing and mixed media project for teachers, art teachers and homeschoolers. Students draw a cartoon dinosaur head biting a giant pencil, trace it in black, color it with bright oil pastel, then paint the background so it resists over the pastel.

Dinosaurs are a high-interest subject, and the oversized pencil adds a silly twist students love. Along the way, students practice line, shape, space, texture, color, form and value, and learn how oil pastel and paint work together in a paint resist. It suits elementary and middle school art, homeschool art and year-round art units.

WHAT'S INCLUDED (NON-EDITABLE PDF)

• 1 Cover Page
• 1 Teacher Prep and How to Use Page explaining how to project the lesson, gather materials, photocopy handouts and use the poster sample as a visual hook
• 2 Lesson Plan Pages with content and learning outcomes, lesson overview, materials, competencies, big ideas, Socratic questions and teacher/student action guidance
• 1 Full-Page Art Rubric for execution, creativity, evidence of process and responsibility
• 1 Finished Example Page showing the completed dinosaur artwork
• 1 Step-By-Step Draw: Dinosaur Handout with a condensed visual reference for sketching
• Step-by-Step Tutorial Pages covering the dinosaur head, facial details, pencil, outlining, oil pastel coloring, blended shading and the painted resist background

HOW TO USE IT

Project the tutorial and let students follow along: sketch the eye and eyebrow, head shape and mouth, nostril, ear and spots, then the pencil, eraser, jaw, teeth and a thick border. Students trace everything in black felt marker, color the dinosaur in yellow-green or lime green oil pastel, add and blend blue shading with a finger, color the border red, and finish by painting the background yellow and purple.

Materials: pencil, eraser, black felt marker, cardstock or watercolor paper, oil pastels, yellow and purple paint, paintbrushes and water. The finished pieces make a bold class display on a bulletin board or in a hallway.

FAQ

Who can use this resource?

Teachers, art teachers and homeschoolers. It also works well for classroom teachers who teach art and want a guided project with strong visual support.

Is this resource editable?

No. It is a non-editable PDF.

Does it include a step-by-step tutorial?

Yes. The tutorial has visual and written directions for the dinosaur drawing, oil pastel coloring, shading and paint resist background.

How long will this lesson take?

Usually 2 to 3 classes, depending on student age, class time and how long students spend coloring, shading and painting.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kathleen McGiveron (Ms Artastic) is an artist who has been featured on NBC LX News and designs art lessons for kids and educational resources for teachers. She was the featured cover educator in OCO Magazine for October 2025. She is the founder of Ms Artastic and hosts the Ms Artastic YouTube Channel and Podcast.

TERMS OF USE

This resource is for single educator use only.

YOU MAY: use this resource with your own students. Please purchase additional licenses if more than one teacher will be using it.

YOU MAY NOT: share, copy, upload, post online, distribute or resell this resource in any form.

Sincerely,

Ms Artastic